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Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in Minnesota

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2023 Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in Minnesota

10 Schools Ranked
$104,456 Avg Student Debt

It's not easy to decide which nursing program to enroll in when you have so many options available. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Also there are many trade schools and bpptcamp that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.

The Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking is one of many tools that Nursing Degree Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 10 schools in Minnesota to see which ones offered the best doctor's degree programs for nursing students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school us, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.

View our full ranking methodology.

Top Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in Minnesota

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Augsburg University

Minneapolis, Minnesota
24 Total Awards
$84,404 Avg Student Debt

Our analysis found Augsburg University to be the best school for nursing students who want to pursue a doctor’s degree in Minnesota. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctor’s degrees to 24 students in 2021-2022.

By the time they get their doctor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $84,404 in student loans.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Augsburg does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 79% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.

Full Augsburg University Report

#2

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota
52 Total Awards
$9,094 Average Tuition & Fees
$40,979 Avg Student Debt

The excellent doctor’s degree programs at Winona State University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in Minnesota. Located in Winona, Minnesota, the medium-sized public school awarded 52 diplomas to qualifed doctor’s degree students in 2021-2022.

Doctor’s Degree recipients from Winona State accumulate an average of $40,979 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Winona State does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 87% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Full Winona State University Report

#3

The College of Saint Scholastica

Duluth, Minnesota
233 Total Awards
$13,971 Average Tuition & Fees
$77,113 Avg Student Debt

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The College of Saint Scholastica. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Nursing Doctor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota list. St. Scholastica is a private not-for-profit institution located in Duluth, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 233 doctor’s degrees in 2021-2022.

On average, doctor’s degree students take out $77,113 in loans while pursuing their degree.

Online graduate courses are available at St. Scholastica, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2020-2021 year, about 52% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.

Read More…

38 Total Awards
$9,648 Average Tuition & Fees
$31,995 Avg Student Debt

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Minnesota State University - Mankato is a great place for nursing students working on their doctor’s degree. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a fairly large public school located in Mankato, Minnesota that handed out 38 doctor’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Doctor’s Degree recipients from Minnesota State Mankato accumulate an average of $31,995 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.

One thing to take note of is that Minnesota State Mankato does offer online graduate classes in some areas. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 51% took at least some of their classes online.

Read More…

#6

St Catherine University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
71 Total Awards
$18,210 Average Tuition & Fees
$76,919 Avg Student Debt

St Catherine University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Nursing Doctor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota list. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctor’s degrees to 71 students in 2021-2022.

On average, doctor’s degree students take out $76,919 in loans while pursuing their degree.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at St. Kate’s. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 45% of graduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.

Full St Catherine University Report

#7

Bethel University Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota
36 Total Awards
$66,597 Avg Student Debt

Bethel University Minnesota came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Doctor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 36 doctor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.

By the time they get their doctor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $66,597 in student loans.

Online graduate courses are available at Bethel University Minnesota, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2020-2021 year, about 76% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.

Read More…

#8

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
1,766 Total Awards
$20,315 Average Tuition & Fees
$114,854 Avg Student Debt

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Doctor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota ranking. UMN Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 1,766 doctor’s degrees in 2021-2022.

By the time they get their doctor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $114,854 in student loans.

UMN Twin Cities does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 29% took at least some of their classes online.

Read More…

#9

Capella University

Minneapolis, Minnesota
1,324 Total Awards
$103,660 Avg Student Debt

Capella University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Nursing Doctor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the large private for-profit school awarded 1,324 diplomas to qualifed doctor’s degree students in 2021-2022.

Doctor’s Degree recipients from Capella University accumulate an average of $103,660 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.

Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out Capella University. Every graduate student at the school took at least one class online.

Read More…

#10

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
19 Total Awards
$10,570 Average Tuition & Fees
$67,258 Avg Student Debt

Metropolitan State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Nursing Doctor’s Degree Schools in Minnesota list. This medium-sized public school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 19 doctor’s degrees in 2021-2022.

On average, doctor’s degree students take out $67,258 in loans while pursuing their degree.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at Metro State. In fact, around 60% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Metropolitan State University

Best Nursing Doctor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region

View Best Nursing Doctor’s Degree Schools Nationwide >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 10 schools only.

References

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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